Illuminated display means for garments



Nov. 29, 1960 R. E. JONES 0 ILLUMINATED DISPLAY MEANS FOR GARMENTS I Filed April 7, 1958 2,962,580 ILLUMINATED DISPLAY MEANS FOR GARMENTS Rufus E. Jones, 223 Chatman St., Box 172, Hutchius, Tex. Filed Apr. 7, 1958, Ser. No. 726,975

'3 Claims. (Cl. 2406.4)

This invention relatesto newand useful improvements in garments such as are worn by band members, majorettes, theatrical performers and other similar entertainers whose bodies are subjected to some degree of movement during their performance, and the principal object of the invention is to substantially enhance the visual effect created by such performers, especially during darkness.

This object is attained by providing the garment with illuminated display means in the form of a plurality of lamp bulbs located at spaced points on the garment, together with an electric battery adapted to be carried upon the person of the wearer for furnishing current to the bulbs, whereby to provide what may be called an animated lighting effect of a pronounced aesthetic value when the body of a performer wearing the garment is subjected to motion.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for separably attaching the illuminated display means to the garment so that the same may be quickly and easily removed when the use thereof is not desired, such as for example, for performances during daytime.

Another important feature of the invention arises from the aforementioned separable attaching means which also serve to provide switch means for controlling the flow of current between the battery and the lamp bulbs.

Some of the advantages of the inventIon lie in its simplicity of construction, in its dependable operation, and in its adaptability for use with garments of various different types.

With the foregoing more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invent-on will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a performer wearing a garment in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the garment per se, showing diagrammatically the arrangement of the illuminated display means;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the conductors, lamp bulb and fastener element; and

Figure 4 is a group elevational view showing co-acting snap fastener elements on the conductors and the garment.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the reference numeral 10 designates a garment of the type worn by band members, or the like, in the particular instance illustrated the garment being that of a majorette, although it is to be understood that the invention is applicable with equal facility to garments of theatrical performers and other entertainers, both male and female.

The illuminated display means in accordance with the invention comprises a pair of flexible conductors 11, 12 which are preferably twisted together as shown in Figure 3 and are provided with the usual insulated covering.

Patent 2,962,580 Patented Nov. 29, 1960 A plurality of lamp bulbs 13 are provided at spaced points on the conductors 11, 12 and are in circuit therewith, this being attained by stripping the insulating covering from portions of the conductors and soldering the same to the bulbs, as indicated at 14 in Figure 3. Alternatively, conventional sockets (not shown) may be provided on the conductors for the bulbs, if so preferred, for facilitating expeditious replacement of the bulbs when necessary.-

A plurality of co-acting, separable fasteners such as snap fasteners 15, 16 are also provided at spaced points on the conductors 11, 12, the elements 15 being soldered or otherwise secured to bare portions of the conductors from which insulating covering has been removed, as indicated at 17 in Figure 4, while the elements 16 are sewn or otherwise secured to the garment 14!. In this manner the conductors 11, 12, together with the bulbs 13 are removably attached to the garment, but may be quickly and easily removed therefrom when the use of the illuminated display means is not desired, by simply separating the elements 15, 16.

The elements 16 are secured to the garment at such points that the conductors 11, 12 follow a predetermined path on the outer surface of the garment and the bulbs 13 are djsposed in a predetermined pattern, such as for example, across the shoulders and along the arms of the garment, as illustrated. This pattern, of course, may be varied as desired to locate the bulbs at any pre-selected points on the garment, in accordance with the motions of the performers body when the garment is worn.

A suitable electric battery 18, adapted to be conveniently carried upon the person of the wearer, such as for example, in a pocket 19 of the garment 10, has a pair of wires 20, 21 soldered or otherwise connected to the terminals thereof and the extremities of these wires are connected to terminal elements 16a, secured to the garment 10. Co-acting terminal elements 15a are provided on the respective conductors 11, 12 and are separably engageable with the terminals 16a, whereby current may flow from the battery 18 to the lamp bulbs 13. However, by simply separating either or both pairs of terminal elements 15a, 16a, the flow of current from the battery to the bulbs is interrupted, and in this manner the terminal elements function as switch means for the turning on or off of the bulbs, thus eliminating the need for a separate switch.

The separability of the elements 15a, 16a also permits removal of the conductors 11, 12 with the bulbs 13 from the garment upon separation of the fasteners 15, 16, and if desired, the terminal elements 16a themselves may be separable from the garment so that the battery 18 and the wires 20, 21 may be also removed. The terminal elements 15a, 16a are of the snap fastener type, like the elements 15, 16.

Although the battery 18 is preferably disposed in the pocket 19 of the garment, it may be carried at any other suitable location upon the person of the wearer, in the event that the garment is without pockets.

While in the foregoing there has been described and shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure, and various modifications may be resorted to such as may lie within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. The combination of a garment of flexible material, and illuminated display means comprising at least one pair of flexible electric conductors extending adjacently along a portion of said garment, a plurality of lamp bulbs provided at longitudinally spaced points on said conductors in circuit therewith, a first set of snap fastener elements secured at spaced points to said garment, a pair of said elements in the first set constituting a first pair of terminals, a source of current connected to the first pair of terminals for maintaining a difference of pot'ent;al therebetween, and a second set of coactin g'snap fastener elements secured at spaced points to said conductors and separably engaged with the elements of the first set whereby said display means may be readily applied to and removed from said garment, a pair of said elements in the second set constituting a secondrpair of terminals separably engaged with the respective terminals inthe first pair, whereby to provide switch means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said lamps to and from said sourceof current.

. 2. The combination of a garment of flexible material including a torso portion and a limb portion movable relative thereto, and illuminated display means comprising at least one pair of electric flexible conductors terminating at one end on the torso portion of said garment and extending longitudinally along said limb portion, a plurality of lamp bulbs provided at longitudinally spaced points on said conductors in circuit therewith, a first set of snap fastener elements secured at spaced points to the torso and limb portions of said garment, a pair of said elements in the first set disposed on the torso portion constituting a first pair of terminals, a source of current terminals in the first pair, whereby to provide'switch' means for selectively connecting and disconnecting said.

lamps'to'andfrom said source of current.

3. The combination as defined in claim 2 wherein said 1 source of current comprises an electric battery carried by the torso portion of said garment, and another pair of flexible conductors connecting said battery to the first pair of terminals.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,015,715 Schindler Jan. 23, 1912 1,030,516 Lagarde et al June 25, 1912' 2,430,607 Gaskouitz Nov. 11, 1947 2,640,980 Prupis June 2, 1953 2,705,751 Harris et a1. Apr. 5, 1955 

